If you’ve wondered about your cat’s main diet, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most puzzling concepts for new pet owners, especially since cats can eat just about anything they want to. This has led people to wonder whether cats are carnivores or omnivores.
Essentially, cats are carnivores, even if they eat other foods like vegetables and fruits. Specifically, they are obligate carnivores. In this blog, we’re going to talk about the kind of eaters cats are, how they get their nutrition, and how to support it at home.
Carnivores vs Omnivores
But what’s really the difference between the two? Basically, they are key terms that describe how an animal is biologically designed to eat in order to grow, develop, and stay healthy.
Carnivores
A carnivore is an animal whose natural diet is based primarily on other animal sources. Carnivores are adapted to digest protein and fat from animal tissues efficiently, and their bodies rely heavily on nutrients that come from meat.
This also means that their digestive systems tend to be shorter because meat is easier for them to break down compared to fibrous plant materials. Carnivores can also be classified further based on how much meat they should consume to survive. Here’s a guide:
Classification | Percentage of Meat in Diet |
|---|---|
Hypercarnivore | 70% or above |
Mesocarnivore | 50-70% |
Hypocarnivore | 30% or below |
Cats are hypercanivories, also known as obligate carnivores. Basically, a cat's body is designed to utilize the nutrients found in animal sources. This means that they must have a diet consisting of about 70% meat.
Omnivores
Omnivores are different in the sense that they can consume both plant and animal foods. This allows them to have more variety in their diets, as they can consume fruits, vegetables, starches, and meats.
Humans are a good example of omnivores because we can meet our nutritional needs from many different sources.
Can Cats Eat Fruits and Vegetables?
While they technically can, these are not important to a cat’s diet.
Cats may occasionally eat small amounts of fruits and vegetables, but this doesn't make them omnivores. These plant sources do not supply the specific nutrients cats need. Although these may provide some minimal benefits, such as energy.
What Makes Cats Carnivores?
Cats have specialized features that help them consume meat. It all comes from their needs and anatomical specifications. These include:
Sharp Teeth
A cat’s teeth are basically meat-processing tools. They have long, pointed canines for gripping, with sharp premolars and molars to cut and shear the meat. This helps them break down the meat they consume for proper digestion.
Jaws
Their jaws also have a special purpose. It’s built more like a hinge rather than one that rotates, good for biting down and tearing meat. It’s different from the side-to-side grinding needed for fibrous plants. This is the reason why cats often swallow pieces of food rather than chewing them down.
Digestive System
As carnivores, cats have a shorter digestive tract compared to those that eat plants because meat is easier to digest. Plant-heavy diets require longer intestines to extract the nutrients. Since cats don’t eat those, they have a shorter one to process animal tissues efficiently.
Aside from this shorter tract, cats have an acidic stomach that helps them break down the animal sources they eat. This is key to breaking down fat, protein, and bones. Cats also lack salivary amylase, so they are unable to efficiently process carbohydrates.
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